Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Length: 85,899 words
Cover Photo: Strangeland Photography
Cover Design: Paul Richmond
Blurb
Jamie’s life is one big financial mess, and it really isn’t his fault. However, the last thing he expected to find in the library was a Good Samaritan. He might have been suspicious of Guy’s motives at first, but it soon becomes apparent that his savior is a good man who has been lucky in life and is looking to pay it forward. Guy being gay is not a problem. Jamie’s not interested… or so he thinks.
Guy is happy to help Jamie, and the two men get along fine. But when Jamie’s curiosity leads him from one thing to another, Guy finds himself looking at the younger man with new eyes. What started out as a hand up is now something completely different….
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My thoughts
Step by Step is one of those
adorable, ‘I wouldn’t mind if it happened to me’ stories. Jamie has reached a
low point, is about to lose the roof over his head and has no idea how he’s
going to salvage the situation when a stranger overhears him talking on his
phone in the library and invites him for a cup of coffee.
Guy, the stranger in question,
found himself in a similar situation years ago until an older man stepped
forward and saved the day. Given the opportunity, Guy wants to pay the favour
he received forwards and he offers Jamie both accommodation and financial
support. While Guy initially assumes Jamie is gay, the fact that Jamie
identifies as straight does not affect the offer; in fact, none of Guy’s
generosity comes with strings attached.
After Jamie moves into Guy’s
spare bedroom the two men slowly get to know each other better and it isn’t
long before they turn from new acquaintances to friends despite their age
difference. Their relationship takes a different and for both men unexpected
turn when Jamie discovers he is attracted to Guy and more than a little curious
as to what acting on that attraction might mean. The scene during which Jamie
first comes to that realisation was both hot and wonderful. I’d love to share
details here, but I don’t want to spoil the enjoyment of reading that part of the story for the first time for
anyone.
This story had the potential to
be an ‘angst-fest’ but, much to my delight, turned out to be the exact
opposite. His attraction to Guy doesn’t bother Jamie, he just accepts it as a
fact of life. He doesn’t delve into endless soul searching as to how he should
now label himself either. He’s attracted to, and later in love with, Guy, and
that’s good enough for him. Similarly I can think of at least a few issues Guy
might have gotten angsty over, but that doesn’t happen either. The relationship
between these two men develops slowly, without any pressure or expectations
from either side and is all the more beautiful for its organic growth.
It won’t come to anybody’s
surprise when I say that the secondary characters in this book were almost as
memorable as the stars of the story. That’s not to say they’re all nice. Guy’s
ex-wife and his son both deserved a good talking to at the very least. Guy’s
daughter and her husband-to-be on the other hand were as charming as they were realistic.
Jamie’s best friend Ryan is the sort of buddy all of us need in our lives. He’ll
be the first to tease Jamie but when push comes to shove he looks out for Jamie
and offers a listening ear and advice.
I really do hope KC will set
more books in this world. I can’t help feeling Ryan, Cole, (the district
attorney) and John (the club owner) deserve their own stories and happy
endings.
If it isn’t clear from the
above let me put it pure and simply: I love this book. I loved both Guy and
Jamie as characters. I loved the uncomplicated nature and development of their
relationship. But most of all I loved that first Guy (in the past) and now Jamie
(in this book) trusted the way I trust, approached people the way I tend to
approach them. Both of them expected only good and found it. I firmly believe
that this happens in real life too. Not every kind offer is cynical. Not every
favour comes with strings attached. Sometimes people are just good and kind.
And sometimes there’s no greater pleasure than reading about such people and
see them reach a happy ever after.
As for Step by Step; I’ll
remember this story with a smile on my face. Reading this book made me happy in
the same way reading fairytales used to delight me when I was a child.
Sometimes all I want is to read about love, people connecting, and happiness
without all the pitfalls before the characters get there. This is such a book,
uncomplicated and utterly charming – a pure delight to read.
Author Bio
Born and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way. K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….
K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career. The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.
And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer… and longer….
K.C. loves to hear from readers.
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: http://www.kcwellsworld.com
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